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This is a very difficult book to rate. It wasn't as funny as I thought it would be. There were definitely funny parts, but much of the book dealt with very serious issues. This is not a critique, but I think it is helpful knowing this before you start reading it. It is still a good book, but if you are expecting a fun, easy-going, feel-good memoir, this is not it. 

In the book, Haddish is very honest and upfront about various aspects of her life. She is very open about her past and describes horrible things that happened to her in a very casual, often humorous (and kind of inappropriate?), way. She discusses her childhood, relationships with men, and her divorce (remarriage, and second divorce). There are some heavy things in this book. 

The book is also pretty graphic at times in terms of sexual and violent content. 

One thing that comes up multiple times in this book is abuse and harassment in various forms. Whether in romantic relationships or within her work community, Haddish has a lot of experience putting up with horrible people. She notes in the book that she included some of these to hopefully help other girls and women see when people are mistreating them and recognize that it is not okay. This is a very admirable goal and it worked well in the book. 

Haddish's writing style is very conversational and casual. It is similar to the way she does her comedy. Reading this book is like talking to a friend. If you know anything about Haddish, you shouldn't be surprised to find out that there is quite a lot of swearing in this book. This style can be off-putting to some readers. I think it works in this book, but I also know that this style is not for everyone so it's good to know before going into it. 

Overall, this is an entertaining read that can be inspiring and empowering. But, while reading it, there are going to be times you aren't going to feel very good about the world. 

This book is funny, but it is also pretty dark at times. I still recommend it, but in this case it is good to know something of what to expect before reading it.

A co-worker of mine recommended this book to me.  I had not previously heard of Tiffany Haddish, but I'm ready to seek out any stand-up specials or movies I can find featuring her.  Haddish recounts stories of an abusive mother, absent father, foster care, ex-boyfriends, abusive ex-husband, and her journey into stand-up comedy.  She is hilarious, compassionate, and original.  Narrated by the author.  Bonus:  Sings a "Last Black Unicorn" song a the very end.  If you listen to the audio version, make sure you do not miss the song.

The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish is part memoir and part uplifting 'anyone can succeed' comedy. It was quite an interesting experience reading this on the heels of I've Got This Round as both are funny slice of life books by hilarious women. The main difference is that I felt more of a connection to Tiffany and honestly I think my own life story would read similarly. Tiffany faced a lot of challenges during her childhood but those challenges are what molded her into the strong adult that she is today. *cue dramatic music* (My story would have a lot less booze and sex for sure.) If you're bothered by books that are heavy on the vernacular combined with coarse language then I'm afraid this isn't the book for you. If you like reading about women who made it big despite the odds being stacked against them then it's your lucky day. The Last Black Unicorn has definitely made me want to watch her stand-up routine. In fact, it was her book promo on Trevor Noah's show that enticed me to pick up the book. I'm glad that I did. :-) From sending poorly written love notes to her school crush to pimping out the 'other woman' Tiffany has had a compelling life story that if nothing else will take you out of your own life for the hours you spend reading it. (I bet it's an absolute scream as an audiobook.) 9/10

A/N: It was at the end that I realized this was written by a ghost writer. I know that's common but I felt that it was necessary to make you aware just in case that was a no-no for any of you. This is essentially why it lost a point...and the overuse of vernacular didn't help either.

What I'm Currently Reading: Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Life and Love from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed

Well. I do love Tiffany Haddish. I have been so happy to see how popular she has gotten and wish her nothing but success. That said, this memoir was lacking in a lot of ways for me. Parts of it were funny and parts just made me want to find her and give her a hug. This entire memoir is raw. It is also real and you are going to read about a lot of things that may make you cringe and wonder how in the world did Haddish even get through the things she did. I think that the narrative style is ultimately what hurt this book and caused me to just give it 3 stars.

"The Last Black Unicorn" by Haddish goes into her childhood, her first and second marriage (to the same man), her relationships, and how she started to do comedy. Haddish's childhood sounds like the stuff of nightmares at times. She's upfront about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother, how her father was absent, and how awful foster care was for her in the state of California. You can see early on why Haddish tried to make those around her laugh. It was a way of being seen by others and being noticed was better than being ignored.

The book's style jumps around a lot which I know a lot of readers won't be thrilled with. The book goes back and forth across the same periods of time, but then Haddish will jump back in order to tell another story. I think the biggest thing I realize is that this whole memoir just felt like a stream of consciousness memoir. I liken it to going out for drinks with a friend and you are just sitting around telling each other crazy stories over wine. 

There are some highlights in here though. We have Haddish recapping the infamous Groupon story (go check it out on Youtube, you will thank me) and her going into what happened when she has met famous comedians like Kevin Hart and other celebrities like Mary J. Blige. This is why I think the memoir may have been better to just be told in a straight chronological fashion with Haddish going through her childhood to her stand up comedy career. Having bits and pieces of things linked into her meetings with celebrities was head scratching at times. 

Wow. I will say that this was an engrossing read. Though I would argue that the way that the book is set up makes it hard to get through. Having Haddish telling this first person but you also get to read stories with her "talking" to someone made me feel like I was reading a script at times.